Saturday, May 24, 2008

Bazaar quilt

Today Tetsu has the day off so we are going to pack bags. Tetsu is hundreds of times better than I am at this and he can get a lot more into the suitcases than I. This is what the pile looks like so far (and there are no clothes in there yet!)

Thursday I spent the day with my patchwork friends (Mrs. Harada drove three hours from her new home to visit us.) Our goal was to get as far as possible on the bazaar quilt. What can I say. This is a completely different type of quilt than we've ever done before and all our comments tended to revolve around

"Well, it certainly is bright."

"I hope one of the kindergarten kids pulls the lucky number. A child would like it."

"How are we going to quilt this thing?"

As I've mentioned, Japanese quilters (and all my quilting friends are Japanese) tend to go to softer colors, more controlled patterns and quiet backgrounds. About as far as we can get with this quilt! Still, it is pretty and "interesting". (That word you use when you can't think of an appropriate compliment...)

I had to leave at 3:00 but my friends continued sewing until nearly 8:00. They were on a roll! I guess they decided that they wanted it at flimsy stage THAT NIGHT and by 8:30 I got an e-mail with a picture of the finished flimsy!!! And to think I was still sewing the squares when I left! Went quickly in the end! The picture is one I took when it was still laid out on the floor and nothing was connected!

Unless someone is very motivated, this will probably sit until I get back from the States and then we'll have a basting party and during the summer and early fall the quilt will make its tour through our homes until it is completely quilted and ready for the bazaar in October. Feels good to have that one under our belts!
Back to packing!

13 comments:

Elaine Adair said...

Wahhhh - I want it, I want it! A dear quilt, yes interesting, but good interesting. Fun to look at and study, and see which colors a person likes next to other colors. This is a treasure, IMHO.

artfilstitch said...

Wowwwwww-I want it, too! A friendly quilt and all of the blocks belong together, which you could say "How interesting". It is very pretty and will make someone happy. All of you outdid yourselves and I agree with you Tanya...would be nice if one of your kindergarten kids is the winner. Hope your packing is going well. (Sending you an e-mail)
Liz

Amanda said...

I think it's stunning - I love quilts with different blocks rather than an all over pattern, such fun to really look at. Happy packing.

Clare said...

I think a child would love it - it is "I Spy" ish. Have you any idea yet how it is going to be quilted?

Have fun packing.

anne bebbington said...

It never ceases to amaze me how something so lovely can come together from a bundle of leftovers - I really, really love that block in the top RH corner with the tower of hearts, teardrops and circles

Shelina said...

I think it is really pretty, the squares tie everything together so well. With the kind of dedication your friends had to continue working on it from 3 to 8, I have a strong suspicion it will be completely finished by the time you get back.

andsewitis Holly said...

Tanya, it's gorgeous. I absolutely love it. What fun you ladies have together.

[michele] said...

Well this adult thinks it is absolutely wonderful!

harts4Him said...

I love it! Looks like an orphan block quilt that my guild and myself have put together before. It is stunning and whoever wins it will be blessed to have something created by so many loving hands.

harts4Him said...

I love it! Looks like an orphan block quilt that my guild and myself have put together before. It is stunning and whoever wins it will be blessed to have something created by so many loving hands.

Linda said...

I think it turned out wonderfully. You did a great job tying the disparate elements together - it has its own identity now. Congratulations!

The Calico Quilter said...

I think the quilt is lovely. How could you not smile when you look at it?

I hope you enjoy your trip, and I extend my sympathies at your having to pack a suitcase, a task at which I am absolutely terrible. Does Tetsu have any secrets he could share?

Patti said...

Once again I'm catching up on blog reading. I'm going to have to get severe with myself and delete some blogs from my bloglines, because I hate being so far behind with my reading all the time.

Anyway - I'm sure you've figured out how you are going to quilt this by now. But just in case you haven't I suggest you think about doing Tonya's freehand Baptist fans on it. That is perfect for a very scrappy sampler quilt like this one. And I must echo the others - it's a marvelous quilt!